Impact of Tourism on Local Economy, Culture and Environment: A Case Study of Ladakh Region

Abstract

This paper aims at analyzing the impact of tourism on the economy, culture and environment of Ladakh area based on secondary data obtained through Google form in the form of questionnaire before lockdown in 2020. Tourism has had positive economic impacts in relation to the enhancement of revenues and employment hence the development of the economy of the area. But this growth has also brought some issues in its way. On a cultural level, although tourism has encouraged global interaction and cultural interactions, it has also raised questions on the loss of culture and traditional practices. In physical environment, increase in tourist activity has exerted pressure on the available resources hence lead to problems such as over production of wastes and depletion of resources. The paper also reveals the issues of economic gains and losses at the same time to address the question of how cultural heritage and environmental sustainability are affected. It puts more emphasis on the promotion of sustainable tourism practices that would help to reduce the adverse impacts as well as maintain the characteristics of Ladakh. By overcoming such challenges the region can be in a better capacity to manage both the pressures of economic growth as well as conservation of the environment.